First track ride from the fresh Porsche 911 Carrera S

Fear not – the turbocharged Porsche 911 Carrera S can still do This kind of

Porsche’s landmark 911 Carrera S has got a turbocharged flat six engine for once. We ride from the revised car which has a Porsche test driver

Well, of which’s a relief. This kind of fresh turbocharged Porsche 911 Carrera S doesn’t sound so underwhelming after all.

Perhaps the tone is actually a touch flatter than of which produced by its predecessor at pootling-about as well as cruising speeds as well as altogether lacks the more incisive yelp of the naturally aspirated engine, yet of which’s still raucous enough to turn heads when the auto approaches at pace.

Since Porsche confirmed of which its most-loved sports car might finally be joining the engine downsizing revolution, using turbocharging to compensate for the fresh 3.0-litre engine’s power deficit over its 3.8-litre naturally aspirated predecessor, many marque enthusiasts have worn deeply furrowed brows.

of which seemed almost beyond comprehension of which Porsche might risk emasculating the 911 by retiring one of its most distinctive features, one of which provided its soundtrack, heartbeat as well as magnificently deep well of propulsion.

Turbocharging definitely hasn’t resulted from the loss of the latter. As you can read here, the 991 Gen-2 is actually a car of which accelerates faster as well as hits a higher top speed yet manages to return better fuel economy than its predecessor.

About four years ago, when Porsche concluded of which turbocharging was going to be the only way of which could meet future emissions targets with its mainstream sports car range, of which also resolved to preserve the 911’s identity as best of which could.

Porsche doesn’t like calling of which ‘downsizing’, accurately arguing of which the fresh 2981cc twin-turbo flat six is actually still a fairly sizeable motor by anyone’s standards. The maker prefers ‘rightsizing’.

In any case, the future is actually here, as well as on its website Porsche UK has already replaced the specs for the 911 (991) Gen-1 Carrera variants with those of the fresh turbocharged Gen-2. So if you wanted to order a naturally aspirated car through official channels, you’re too late.

The fresh 911 Carrera is actually almost ready for public viewing, with its unveiling scheduled for next week’s Frankfurt motor show. Ahead of of which, we joined Porsche at Hockenheim race circuit, where the maker laid on a fleet of left-hand-drive pre-production 911s wearing light disguises.

Although the cars were sitting from the German circuit’s pitlane with their drivers’ doors invitingly open as well as keys in ignitions, driving one was strictly verboten on This kind of occasion. Instead, we were confined to the passenger seat alongside Porsche’s test as well as development drivers around the track.We’ve already done This kind of once, with our contributor Yoshihiro Kimura enjoying a road ride in an early prototype back in February. Development has progressed since then, as well as the cars in front of us are just about the real deal in most mechanical aspects.

Cosmetically, they’re clearly test cars; nearly all of the important bits underneath are fresh, though. The optional sports exhaust is actually fitted to This kind of car, which means of which has two round tailpipes located from the centre, in place of the 911 Carrera S’s standard exhaust pipes exiting on either side of the auto’s rear.

The rear end features different adjustments. The move to forced induction has brought with of which some additional cooling challenges as well as the revised 911 has an entirely fresh airflow system at the rear of which channels air into a vent in front of the rear spoiler. of which inhales air for both combustion as well as intercooling, as well as ducts at the bottom of the bumper section allow hot air to escape.

After playing spot the difference on the 911’s external, I drop into the passenger seat alongside Michael Schöllhorn, one of Porsche’s durability test engineers, who gives me a tour of the fresh Indoor features.

of which doesn’t take long; they’re quite subtle. Most notable is actually probably the fresh 7.0in touchscreen on the multimedia set-up. There’s also a fresh ‘GT sport’ steering wheel of which measures 360mm in diameter. This kind of is actually an option, with the standard wheel measuring 375mm.

“The wheel is actually a bit smaller, yet not too smaller,” says Schöllhorn. “I don’t like a steering wheel of which is actually too smaller because of which detracts through the feeling through the auto.”

Our car is actually equipped with the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission, a development of the system found from the Gen-1 991 as well as one of which’s said to offer faster shifts.

All 911 Carreras right now get Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard. Four-wheel steering, as found on the GT3, is actually right now optional on the 911 Carrera S yet wasn’t fitted to our test car.

In standard fettle, the revised chassis is actually 10mm lower than its predecessor, as well as keen drivers can opt to go a different 10mm south again by specifying a Sport chassis.

Another option is actually the Sport Chrono Package, which was on our test car. The steering wheel right now features a fresh rotary switch to toggle between the driving modes – Normal, Sport, Sport Plus as well as Individual – rather than having to use the buttons near the gearlever. of which’s Porsche’s answer to Ferrari’s manettino dial.

Schöllhorn gives me a running commentary as he heads onto the track as well as demonstrates the driver modes.

“of which was absolutely necessary of which This kind of engine should feel like a naturally aspirated engine,” he says as he switches through docile Normal mode up to Sport as well as quickens the pace.

“The more revs you get, the more power you get. In terms of throttle response, you can’t feel a difference,” he assures me, although we’ll have to wait for a definitive verdict on of which when Autocar’s own testers get behind the wheel.

through the passenger seat, though, of which does seems of which the further you advance through the sporty drive settings, the more the engine acts as well as sounds like its naturally aspirated forebear. of which’s certainly not lacking for power, delivering maximum torque through low 1700rpm as well as serving of which consistently until 5000rpm.

“In Sport mode, the turbocharger wastegates will open if I lift off the throttle, yet in Sport Plus the wastegates do not open. So in of which mode, we have instant torque if we go back onto the throttle again; of which’s impossible to feel of which of which is actually a turbo engine,” says Schöllhorn.

Porsche hasn’t gone down the road of using digital trickery to make the blown 911 Carrera S sound like something of which is actually not. of which has an analogue sound duct of which transmits the engine sound to the cabin. Each variant will have specific sound duct tuning.

What’s clear is actually of which with the optional sports exhaust fitted as well as the driving mode switched to one of the more aggressive settings, the Carrera S can invoke a fairly meaty noise.

Weissach’s engineers have overhauled the Porsche Stability Management (PSM). With the Sport Chrono Package, there’s a fresh PSM Sport mode of which is actually activated by pushing the PSM button on the centre console.

PSM Sport relaxes the stability control systems without turning them off completely, permitting large yaw movements as well as more slip at the rear wheels. Porsche reckons of which should bring enough engagement to satisfy most keen track day aficionados.

“PSM Sport is actually designed to ensure you can get some drifting angles yet not too much. of which’s nearly impossible to spin the auto in This kind of mode,” Schöllhorn says, although through my seat he seems to be trying quite hard to disprove his own theory, pitching the 911 into a glorious power slide over the kerbs at the exit of the Sudkurve right-hander.

If you definitely want to, of which’s still possible to completely switch off the PSM which has a long prod of the button, although even of which doesn’t prevent the systems through providing a safety net under heavy braking.

“right now we’ll go for one fast lap,” promises Schöllhorn, as well as of which’s abundantly clear of which turbocharging hasn’t dulled the exquisite balance as well as measured, obedient responsiveness of the 911 Carrera S’s chassis.

“The balance is actually perfect,” he grins at me as the speedo’s needle reaches 200kph (124mph). “You still feel like a big child when you drive This kind of car.”

On Hockenheim’s start-finish straight, Schöllhorn revs the auto out to its maximum 7500rpm limit, just to prove of which the fresh flat six can achieve what its spec sheet claims. Both Carrera as well as Carrera S develop the same maximum engine speed; the 50bhp difference in power between the two cars is actually the result of different turbo compressors as well as tweaks to both the exhaust as well as engine management.

“With This kind of car, of which is actually possible to use of which for all-day use, or you can go to a race track as well as have a lot of fun. of which’s a typical 911,” he says.

Turbocharging the 911 Carrera hasn’t exactly turned of which into a shrinking violet. Schöllhorn makes a valid point about how each subsequent generation of Porsche’s sports car has moved the game on. “You have to remember of which the 959, which is actually 30 years old right now, had the same power as well as speed as This kind of car,” he says. “The next car which reached of which level was the 996-generation 911 Turbo. as well as right now This kind of 911 Carrera S has the same performance.”

of which’s not all about performance. The switch to turbocharged engines, allied with some pretty nifty powertrain innovations as well as increased efficiency of auxiliary components, make the fresh engines up to 12 per cent more frugal than their forebears. Although such figures are unlikely to be foremost in a prospective 911 Carrera owner’s mind, of which’s a useful increase nonetheless.

This kind of is actually just the start of Porsche’s grand plans to roll out turbocharged derivatives, yet on This kind of evidence of which’s not necessarily the end of the planet. After all, there’s potential for extracting more power through the turbocharged engine than the naturally aspirated forebears, so of which’s safe to say Porsche’s future could include some suitably unhinged machinery.

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